The Research Assisstant
by goodfairyofny
Summary: Rita gets a sexy old man for a research assistant.


Two years after the spirit conversion, Rita Mordio opened her door to find the old man on her doorstep, bag slung over his shoulder. "What are you doing here?" she asked suspiciously. He smiled at her brightly. "Heard you were looking for a research assistant." Her eyes narrowed. Aren't you like, important in the Union or something? I thought Harry needed you to help him run things?" she asked. Raven shrugged. "Nah. Kid has things figured out now." She stared at him for a full, long, minute before she decided that was good enough. "_Fine_," she said, opening the door widely. "But you're going to actually do work if you're going to be here," she said as she shut the door behind her. "I wouldn't have it any other way, darlin'," he said with another huge smile as she rolled her eyes.

* * *

It turned out he was a good assistant. He was useful and _helpful_. And quiet. He asked questions, but waited until she finished a task instead of interrupting. He cleaned up after her, placing the books she was finished with back in the right places on her shelves. He cooked food and placed it in front of her at strategic moments when he knew she needed it but didn't want to stop working. Rita really didn't give much thought to the situation until she ran into him in the upstairs hallway one evening. He had come out of the bathroom wearing just a (very small) towel. She _noticed_ him, but then sneered, not wanting him to see her real reaction. "What are you _living_ here now?" she asked sarcastically. She had been too busy to even notice, but he clearly had taken up residence in her guest room without her even knowing about it. He shrugged, leaning against the bathroom door, sticking out one barely covered hip and resting his hand on it casually. "Something I can help you with, darlin'?" She wanted to say yes, and then describe exactly what she'd like him to do for her in vivid detail, but she wasn't about to call his bluff. She did however, look him up and down, hoping it made him feel uncomfortable, her stomach doing flips when he just grinned even wider. "No, she finally answered. "But I'll need your help again tomorrow. With work," she added unnecessarily. He let out a low chuckle as he passed by and walked into the guest room. "Anything you need," he said, shooting her a serious look before he shut the door.

* * *

Sometimes he vanished. She had no idea why or where he went. Maybe to the grocery store sometimes, because she sure as hell hadn't gone but he kept appearing with food. Other times he was gone way too long to just be out running an errand, disappearing for a day or two. She figured maybe he was out hooking up with some woman or something. He was a ridiculous horndog and _she_ certainly wasn't doing anything to ease his condition. She forced herself to stop thinking about it when she realized how jealous it made her to think of him with someone else. Which was crazy, because why would she care?

This went on for weeks. While he was on one of his little adventures, Karol stopped by to deliver some things she had asked for from Dahngrest. "I hear that Raven's been staying with you for awhile?" he asked. She spared him a glance before returning to her work. _This_ was what she liked about having Raven around. He wasn't nearly this annoying. "Yeah," she answered. "He said Harry doesn't really need him much at the Union anymore so he's been helping with my work." When Karol was uncharacteristically quiet, she looked up again. "What?" she asked. Karol frowned. "He's one of the most important people in the Union, Rita. So if he's hanging around here it's about something else." Rita rolled her eyes. "Whatever. He disappears half the time, anyway. Likely hooking up with someone," she muttered, feeling way more annoyed than she had any right to. "Uhh, I don't think so," Karol said cautiously. "What are you talking about?" Rita was really getting irritated at all the interruptions now. Karol sighed. "Even _I_ know how sex works, Rita. You have to take your clothes off! I can't see Raven doing that with anyone who didn't know about his blastia. Or anyone he didn't trust." Rita contemplated this new information that she hadn't considered before. "Huh. He doesn't seem to have a problem with walking around here half naked." Karol rubbed his temples. "Didn't need to know that," he mumbled. Then he brightened up like he'd solved the mystery. "Maybe he likes you!" Rita was getting really tired of this kid. "Don't you have somewhere else to be?" she asked. But what he'd said stuck in her mind.

* * *

The next morning, Raven was back. She woke to coffee and breakfast, all of her favorites. She slunk into a chair at the table and he smiled at her as he slid a plate of bacon and eggs in front of her. "Sleep well, darlin'?" he asked. She grumbled. After a little bit of food and caffeine she found herself staring at him, contemplating. "Something on your mind, darlin'?" he asked, chin propped on his hand. "Where do you go when you're not here?" she asked. He shrugged. "Nowhere as good as here," he said seriously. Then he switched gears before she could say anything else, getting up and clearing the plates, starting on the dishes. "What are you working on today?" he asked, glancing at her over his shoulder as he washed the plates. Talking about her work completely distracted her from any further questioning.

* * *

The next evening, she ran into him in the hallway again, fresh from the shower, tiny towel slung low on his hips. It was summer, and all she wore was a tank top and very short shorts. She stood looking at him, thinking about how the twerp was right, he wasn't comfortable like this with anyone, not even the rest of Brave Vesperia. Only Rita. "Ritacchi?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at her. "Let's have sex," she said, throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him deeply. After a moment he broke the kiss. "I'm way too old for you, darlin'," he said, his voice heavy with lust. "Oh, shut _up_," she said, kissing him again. He picked her up and carried her into the guest room and made love to her in ways that they both had imagined but never expected the other to want. Afterwards, he pulled her into his arms and held her close. Neither of them said anything for a very long time. "You don't have to stay in here alone," she said finally. "You can stay in my room with me." He smiled softly into her hair and squeezed her tighter. "Alright." From that night on they were hardly ever apart. He was still the best research assistant she'd ever had, and she enjoyed his company at night more than she ever expected to. He started telling her when he needed to go out on Union business. To Harry's dismay, he announced that he wouldn't be back to stay in Dahngrest anytime in the foreseeable future. Raven finally had everything that he wanted. Now he just had to figure out how to tell Rita that he loved her without being set on fire.


End file.
